Indications and Visual Results of Penetrating Keratoplasty in Udonthani Hospital Between 1997 and 2006 : a Retrospective Review of 84 Cases

Abstract

Background: Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) is one of the successful organ transplantations. However, it is not widely performed because of the limitation of cornea donated. According to this limitation, the Eye Bank region 6 (Udonthani Hospital) of Thai Red Cross, has then performed an active system for recruiting corneas since 1997. Since then the system has made the possibility of PK.

Objectives: To study 1) the indications for PK and its complications, 2) the visual acquity prior to and after PK and 3) the clearances of transplanted corneas.

Materials and methods: A retrospective review of 84 patients who had their PK performed was conducted between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2006. Data was retrieved from the patients’ medical and analyzed using a descriptive statistics.

Setting: Udonthani Hospital, Udonthani, Thailand

Studied patients: A total of 84 patients with 94 eyes who were needed to have a PK were studied.

Measurements: Data was analyzed for age, gender, indications for PK and its complications, visual results, and percentage of cornea clearance at 12 months after PK.

Results: For the period of nine years, the most common indications for PK were corneal scar 29.9%, followed by Pseudophakic or Aphakic cornea decompression 28.7%. After the PK, the patients’ visuals were improved 51.1%, the same as before 21.3% and worsen 19%. At the 12 months of follow up, the corneas remained clear as high as 67%. However, redrafts were presented 12.8 % and eight of these were graft rejection and the remaining was a primary donor failure. The most common complication found in this operation was an elevated intraocular pressure (10 cases). In this review, there were 127 donated corneas and the majority of 80.3% came from the active system of cornea donation.

Conclusion: Corneal scar was the most common cause for PK and half of the PK cases showed the better improvement of their visions. Most of the corneas transplanted were obtained directly from the active system.

Keywords: corneal scar, penetrating keratoplasty, eye bank, Thai Red Cross